


Compatibility

by Hyx_Sydin



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-10-09 01:39:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17397656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hyx_Sydin/pseuds/Hyx_Sydin
Summary: Rodney would change everything about himself if it meant he could keep John.





	Compatibility

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Hurt/Comfort square in my Trope Bingo Round 11 card and for the Story Work's [Change](https://story-works.livejournal.com/67830.html) challenge.

Staring at the full tray of food in his hands, Rodney hesitated as he remembered a conversation he had overheard earlier that day.

_”Someone as gorgeous as the Colonel needs someone as beautiful by his side.” Female Marine 1 said to her fellow guard._

_“You remember how good he and Elizabeth Weir looked standing together whenever they had to greet people visiting Atlantis?” Female Marine 2 asked._

_Female Marine 1 made a noise of amusement before saying quietly, “And balding, overweight Doctor McKay standing there spoiling everything with his scowl.”_

_“Meg!” Female Marine 2 exclaimed, scandalised._

_“Oh please, he’s too wrapped up in his work to hear anything us lowly peons have to say. Anyway,” Female Marine 1 continued, displeasure clear in her voice. “Now we have Richard Woolsey.”_

_“It would’ve been better if Colonel Carter could have stayed, she and Colonel Sheppard-”_

He had wondered why she had cut her sentence short until John had walked into the room dismissing the two women from their posts as his protection detail, but the damage had been done; they’d confirmed what Rodney had already known. 

Rodney put the tray down on the counter and left the Mess Hall in a rush.

\---

John was just filling in the last few numbers of a Sudoku puzzle when he got a call from a clearly worried Jennifer Keller asking him to come down to the Infirmary.

She was pacing in the hall leading to the general ward when John got to the Infirmary, clearly agitated by something. John was about to call out to her when she noticed him.

“Colonel, thank goodness you’re here!”

“What’s going on?” he asked, stepping past her to glance into the ward. Only one of the beds was occupied, and John would know those shoulders anywhere. “What the hell happened?” He demanded as he turned to her abruptly. “And why the hell is Rodney here?”

“A pair of marines called it in; they found him lying unconscious in a seldom used corridor while they were patrolling. He wasn’t attacked,” she said quickly when John made to speak, and he felt himself calm at those words.

“But then what happened?” He asked when she took too long to explain.

“The Ancient machines diagnosed dehydration, low blood pressure, electrolyte and sugar levels, and, when they brought him in, his clothes were soaked with sweat; he must have been jogging or something.” 

John turned to look back into the ward, not sure what to make of what Keller was telling him. “He hasn’t been eating with us,” he mumbled as the thought came to him.

“What?” she asked, stepping closer.

“Rodney hasn’t been eating with the team. He said they were close to understanding… something, and he was going to take his meals in the lab.” John dragged his gaze away from the other man as something else occurred to him. “Radek’s been in the Mess Hall for every meal.”

“His results are consistent with someone starving themself,” she said, she sounded scared as she asked, “John, why is Rodney not eating?” 

\---

Rodney knew he was in the Infirmary when he woke up, eyes seeming too heavy to open, but the sounds and smells were unfortunately familiar to him.

“Hey,” John said softly, and there was a scrape of a chair and then John’s voice was closer. “You awake?” 

“Mmm,” Rodney hummed in lieu of speaking, body heavy and sore.

“Should I get the Doc?” John asked, voice gentle like his fingers in Rodney’s hair.

“Nnno,” Rodney managed as he struggled to open his eyes.

“You want some water?” Something touched his lips and Rodney realised it was a straw; he sipped at the water despite his thirst because he knew the drill. “You want to tell me what happened?”

The way John asked the question you would think he didn’t care whether Rodney told him or not, but the look in his eyes was begging Rodney for the answer. 

“I’m sorry,” Rodney whispered as tears well up in his eyes and he reaches a hand out to John.

“Shh, it’s okay.” John said, taking hold of his hand and pressing a kiss onto his knuckles.

“You’re so beautiful John,” Rodney wiped at his tears with his other hand. “I -”

John’s breath caught at Rodney’s words. “I love you too Rodney.”

“You do?” Rodney asked wide-eyed, lifting his head from the pillow in order to see John properly.

“Yes!” John laughed happily as he leaned in to press a kiss to the corner of Rodney’s mouth. “How could I not?”

“But… but I’m fat! And bald. And nowhere near good-looking enough for you!”

“What?” John reared back from him, staring at him incredulously. “What are you talking about Rodney?” Rodney sat up slowly, twisting his hands in the blankets. John sat beside him, “Rodney?” 

“I overheard-,” Rodney hesitated, not sure saying it was Marines was such a good idea. “Some people, saying that you should date someone as beautiful as you are.”

“I am.” John stated, completely serious when Rodney looked at him.

Rodney scoffed at him, “I know what I look like John. Unless you’re dating somebody else as well?”

“Wait,” John said, turning to face him. “You were starving yourself and _running_ because you think what, you’re not good enough for me?”

Rodney flushed in embarrassment, looking away from John and seeing Jennifer, Teyla and Ronon hovering near the entrance into the ward.

“Rodney, I love you. Just the way you are.” John said, voice pleading as he turned Rodney to look at him. “I don’t want you to feel you have to change who you are for me.”

Rodney stared at John unsure of what to say. “So you wouldn’t prefer me if I look like Ronon?”

John snorted a laugh, “If I wanted someone who looked like Ronon, I’d date him.”

Rodney turned to look at the Satedan and said, “I don’t think he’s interested.”

“Good, because neither am I.” John covered Rodney’s hands with his own. “Promise me you won’t do something like this again?”

Rodney stared down at their hands. “I should probably lose some weight…”

“We’ll speak to Doctor Keller about it, do it the right way, okay?”

Rodney nodded, before whispering, “I love you too John.”

“Good,” John said, pressing a kiss to Rodney’s thinning hair. “Does that mean we can tell people other than the three people watching us?”

“You want to tell people?” Rodney asked, looking at John with wet eyes.

“I never wanted to keep us a secret.”

“Oh,” Rodney’s face crumpled as he started to cry. “I’m so sorry.”

“Shh,” John said, wrapping his arms around Rodney and pulling him close. “Everything’s okay now.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for giving this a read! ♥ And I apologise for any errors.
> 
> I would love feedback, even if it's just to tell me to add a tag or up the rating ^_^


End file.
